In one known method of manufacturing a fiber reinforced metal matrix composite article, as disclosed in European patent No. EP0831154B1, a plurality of metal coated fibers are placed in an annular groove in a metal ring and a metal ring is placed on top of the metal coated fibers. Each of the metal coated fibers is wound spirally in a plane and the metal coated fiber spirals are stacked in the annular groove in the metal ring. The metal ring is pressed predominantly axially to consolidate the assembly and to diffusion bond the metal rings and the metal coated fiber spirals together to form an integral structure.
In a further known method of manufacturing a fiber reinforced metal matrix composite article, as disclosed in European patent application No. EP1288324A2, the arrangement described in EP0831154B1 is modified by the inclusion of metal wires in the annular groove in the metal ring with the metal coated fibers. Each of the metal wires is wound spirally in a plane and the metal wire spirals are stacked in the annular groove in the metal ring with the metal coated fibers spirals.
Conventionally hot isostatic pressing (HIP) is used as a single stage process to consolidate, to increase the density of, a porous article where the initial density of the porous article is relatively high and therefore the change of shape of the article is usually very small.
Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) is suitable for the consolidation of fiber reinforced metal matrix composite articles, however, the initial density may be as low as 50% and therefore the change in volume and shape will be substantial. In general the consolidation of fiber reinforced metal matrix composite articles has been by hot isostatic pressing, but control of the final shape of the fiber reinforced area of the fiber reinforced metal matrix composite article is difficult, or the control of the position of the fibers in the fiber reinforced metal matrix composite article is difficult.
Accordingly the present invention seeks to provide a novel method of manufacturing a fiber reinforced metal matrix composite article.